Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-24
CHRgsTnAs on THE PLANTATION.
a Relic OF slavery Tells Of the Holiday
Times Before the War.

A STAR reporter met an oid-tIme eolored woman
the other day, relic Of slavery days, ignorant
lit honest. who now picks up precarious exist
enee by odd JOBS Of scruobing. she had Just I'm
lshed her mornings work. and was about putting
On her old paid shawl and prehistoric bonnet
Preparatory 10 a change OF base when the reporter
ascosted her
Getting ready for Christmas auntie?s
NOW, LOOK he'll massa, dat ain no way ter
tax wen Chris,nus come so close. You know
AIN gIttin ready, less sum I'm helps me. Now eff
yols adm, up 70 a ton er coal or a turkey, why,
den you talkin, but Of you's Us nngin' fun al
nIOnIn'.~ '0 VIZ
Then the old woman gave an extra hitch To her
taitsred seruOOias skirt 10 hide the holes as much
rs possible, anc began tying her tape bonnet
s,rnss, all Tue time watching the reporter ouI OF
SIyns 81 a Christmas gifr. -'
- Christmas anything like It used to be-
II on mean down In old Yiryinny befo' de yah.-
The re Porter nodded The black face lIybred nm
VIA sood-hatrTei smile al the recollection.
IalLt seem nAe de same world was the
IfVt1pt rept- Dem was de DAYS 90 slaves but
warm frOcks Was plenty an dey was no skiI,p n,
cs ruoSf.; plenty OF whites and nres OF coss
some co.orcd people had hard massas but i wish
j vas back wAar cum froa An Cnrismns Ger
teny was TINE. Ole yirginny beats EN- ali.
chrismus was christnus. an II lasted
P-CN TILL NEW YrARs
Eosry night 90 de week dancin' ana s,ng,,,
Riddle an banjo, an nurin' else ter do. pey md
beg.n Ter git ready long fore dis Deg brung
eoery ting from Fredericksburz-a wagon load
Go boots an shoes, big rolls OBJ cioth. All
fur Us colored folks on Chrismus We ali
knowed wat We was gwine Ter git De
winfnen crssscS an de men coats N,ssus
lad ssanasters right In &c house and de good, nd
be made up. DE boys nj cum up ter try on De
coats and de gais I'd take DER turn 10 see n de-
crosses nd a. an dey wus fun ub prud wen dey
marched up snick hin actin silly Dey was
yran times In dem days" The old woman looked
OiIt OF the window al the melting snow and shoos
ler head as she thought or the change. s.Wen de
snow wars On de groun," she continued s'dey was
no work 20 b. did, cept Jis feedin dc stock an
hogs made de lard, an ebery one got some Dere
vas ole missus sittin In de big Kitchen knitten
away, wiles we all wus q workin at de big kittles
an pots she WIS a kind ole missus, know Wen
any 90 de married winnen was tuck sick
y9o know. ole missus always had ready a pile
% little frockS made en- all hersef, wouldn't
low No che else ter tech EN-. even ef dere was
tDusy, Too. No indeedy, cey didnJ seprate de fam
lie 10 my kentIy. De boys on our Plantation I'd
,naIf! os gals on de odder plantations, and De
Doys run de odder places nd marry some OF our
sa.sx An aey had TO treat de wimmen well, too,
So w. W get whipped on de bare back. Yer see,
e a wies eo-ry week-Wensdys and Thursdys;
oey was called marryfn days, kaze dey was lucky
aAyS II YOU gvine ter get married don't take
sna,y. ,mu bring bad luck sho. Monday ain 50
~. u, mensday and Thursdy IS de lucky time.
Ivy oeoy oQsnt 70 know dat Well, yere Il
s4nn,n .sAin 70 you In my old scruDbln skirt, but
you TUCK me back 70 dem good o,d times wer
ter be Iat-." ~ Ao'
The old shawl was pinned t,xntly around her
shoulders, and she was soon trud0ing through the
Ausn ~ INC oirecton Of the next scrupoing place.